Enable the 2017 Cartier Horse of the Year

Enable emerged as Europe’s best in 2017, winning five straight Group 1 races in convincing fashion, and the star 3-year-old filly was named the 2017 Cartier Horse of the Year at Tuesday’s ceremonies in London.

Owned by Khalid Abdullah, Enable captured her career bow in late November and sustained her only career setback when opening 2017 with a third versus allowance foes at Newbury in late April. Two starts later, the John Gosden trainee romped by five lengths in the English Oaks (G1) and the improving lass followed with a 5 ½-length tally in the Irish Oaks (G1) in mid-July.

Stepping up to face males in the July 29 King George VI & Queen Elizabeth (G1) at Ascot, Enable crushed runner-up Ulysses by a 4 ½-length margin. She came back a month later to record a facile tally in the Yorkshire Oaks (G1) and continued to dominate while stretching her outstanding win streak to six in the October 1 Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) at Chantilly, putting the 1 ½-mile event away by midstretch as she rolled to a 2 1/2-length victory.

Enable, who became the first British-trained filly to win Europe’s most valuable race in her season finale, will return for a 4-year-old campaign. She hails from the first crop of Nathaniel and is ridden by Frankie Dettori. The English-bred bay also took home champion 3-year-old filly honors.

“It has been another tremendous year in European horseracing and I would like to extend congratulations to all the winners at the 2017 Cartier Racing Awards,” said Harry Herbert, Cartier’s Racing Consultant. “Enable enjoyed five commanding victories at the Group 1 level and her performances, particularly at Ascot and Chantilly, mark her out as a filly of rare distinction. She is a very appropriate winner of Cartier Horse of the Year.”

Enable’s stablemate, Cracksman, parlayed a strong conclusion to his sophomore season into the Cartier Three-Year-Old Colt Award. Third when making his stakes debut in the English Derby (G1), the son of Frankel registered his first stakes win when scoring by six lengths in the Great Voltigeur (G2) at York in late August and followed with another facile decision in the Prix Niel (G2).

Owned by Anthony Oppenheimer, Cracksman continued to move forward with an impressive seven-length over a nice field in the October 21 Champion (G1) at Ascot.

U S Navy Flag, a son of War Front, recorded three stakes wins, including the Dewhurst (G1) and Middle Park (G1). Happily, a Galileo filly, counted the Moyglare Stud (G1) and Grand Criterium (G1) among her three stakes victories.

Order of St George provided O’Brien and Coolmore with a third Cartier winner by taking the Stayer Award. The 5-year-old son of Galileo notched four stakes triumphs, including the Irish St. Leger (G1), and carried top form throughout 2017.

Harry Angel earned the 2017 Cartier Sprinter Award. Owned by Godolphin and trained by Clive Cox, the 3-year-old Dark Angel colt recorded four stakes tallies, including July Cup (G1) and Sprint Cup (G1).

Ulysses came on at age 4 for Sir Michael Stoute, capturing the Juddmonte International (G1) and Eclipse (G1), and the son of Galileo garnered the Cartier Older Horse Award.

Stoute was recognized with the Cartier/The Daily Telegraph Award of Merit. The internationally renowned trainer was born in Barbados and commenced his training career at Newmarket in 1972.

“Sir Michael Stoute has been a master of his profession for over 40 years and he is a most worthy recipient of the Cartier/The Daily Telegraph Award of Merit,” Herbert said. “His handling of Ulysses in 2017 was outstanding.”